This is to report a case of collision tumor of the urinary bladder, which was composed of papillary transitional cell carcinoma(PTCC) and osteosarcoma. Grossly the tumor was located at left antero-lateral wall and was a fungating, gray yellow, bony hard mass with papillary configuration of the luminal surface. Histologically the tumor was composed of PTCC confined to the mucosa and sarcomatous component not intermixed with the overlying PTCC. The sarcomatous area had features of classic osteosarcoma with anaplastic tumor cells and haphazardly arranged osteoid matrix, and was positive for osteonectin but entirely negative for cytokeratin or epithelial membrane antigen. Ultrastructural study demonstrated the tumor cells to be osteoblast which had rich rERs and a few lipid vesicles in plump cytoplasm without any evidence of epithelial ongin. The case is thought to be an example of collision tumor because there was no evidence of transition between PTCC and osteosarcoma.

Tumor angiogenesis(TA) refers to the growth of new vessels toward and within a tumor. TA is necessary both at the beginning and at the end of the metastatic cascade of events. Recently, experimental evidence suggests that the growth of a tumor beyond a certain size requires angiogenesis. To investigate how tumor angiogenesis correlates with metastases in breast carcinoma, the microvessels were counted (per 200 / field) in the most active areas of neovas-cularization by two investigators. The microvessels within breast carcinoma were highlighted by in imunohistochemical staining for factor VIII-related antigen. Microvessel count(MVC) in node-positive carcinoma(59.66=35) was significantly higher than in node-negative carcinoma(44.76=17)(p=0.009). MVC was also statistically correlated with tumor size and stage, but not with histologic grading, DNA ploidy, or hormonal receptors(estro-gen and progesterone). MVC in invasive breast carcinoma may be one of many prognostic predictors of node-positive breast carcinoma. Assessment of tumor angiogenesis may therefore be valuable in selecting patients with early breast carcinoma for aggressive therapy.
Neoplasm Metastasis

Pulmonary adenocarcinoma of fetal type is a very uncommon tumor of the lung which simulates an early stage of lung differentiation. This is a primitive appearing epithelial tumor similar to the epithelial component of pulmonary blastoma but lacking the sarcomatous features. Since the report of Kradin et al, 8 more cases have been reported by a variety of name. These tumors are composed of glycogen-rich, non-ciliated tubular epithelial cells forming irregularly shaped tubules or arranged in a papillary pattern. A very remarkable findings of this tumor is the presence of endocrine cells which is confirmed by argyrophilia, immunohistochemistry or electron microscopy. We experienced a case of this tumor which showed hepatocytoid differentiation in addition to the characteristic histologic findings. Immunohistochemical studies performed on a resected tumor tissue showed immunoreactivity for alpha-fetoprotein, neuron-specific enolase and somatostatin, and endocrine type granules were found ultrastructurally. Although this tumor seems to have a relation with pulmonary blastoma in its histology, immunohistochemistry and ontogeny, a distinction between these should be attained because the average survival of the former group is longer as 23 months, while that of the latter is only 4 months.
Adenocarcinoma

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) plays an important role in hepatic fibrogenesis. It is thought to inhibit regeneration of the hepatocytes. The aim of this present study was to clarify the correlation of TGF-beta, collagen type III (PIIINP) and the regenerating activity of hepatocytes, and the effect of prostaglandin E2 (PgE2) on them in acute liver injury. Two hundred and sixteen male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 200g on average, were divided into six experimental groups and two control groups; group I-CCl4 only administration, group II-partial hepatectomy(PH) only, group III-PH following CCl4 administration, group IV-olive oil only administration, group V-sham operation, group VI-CCl4 administration with pretreatment of PgE2, group VII- PH with pretreatment of PgE2, and group VIII- PH following CCl4 administration with pretreatment of PgE2. Five rats were sacrificed at 12, 24, 36, 48, 96 and 168 hours after the administration of CCl4 or PH in each experimental group. The liver was tested with immunohistochemical stain for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and in situ hybridization for TGF-beta. Radioimmunoassay for serum PIIINP was also performed. The results were as follows: TGF-beta was expressed mainly in the perisinusoidal cells and periportal mesenchymal cells. The TGF-beta positive cells were most numerous in the combined group of CCl4 plus PH. TGF-beta expression tended to have an inverse relation, with the PCNA index in all experimental groups. The PCNA index was highest in the CCl4 only group and lowest in the combined group of CCl4 plus PH. The PH only group showed a peak PCNA index at 48 hours. In the CCl4 only group and the combined group of CCl4 plus PH, serum PIIINP appeared to increase at 12 hours or more after the expression of hepatic TGF-beta. Pretreatment of PgE2 revealed that TGF-beta precipitously disappeared at 48-96 hours after insult. PgE2 influenced the vanishing period, not the emerging time of TGF-beta and had a remarkable effect on the amount of TGF-beta especially in the PH following CCl4 administration group, which resulted in significant accentuation of PCNA indices. In conclusion, PH of the prior injured liver induces a marked increase of TGF-beta followed by a significant suppression of regeneration of the remaining liver, and PgE2 overtly suppresses the expression of TGF-beta.
Male ; Humans ; Rats ; Animals

Chronic compression or ischemia of the spinal cord in the cervical spine causes a clinical syndrome known as cervical myelopathy. Recently, a new term “degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM)” was introduced. DCM encompasses spondylosis, intervertebral disk herniation, facet arthrosis, ligamentous hypertrophy, calcification, and ossification. The pathophysiology of DCM includes structural and functional abnormalities of the spinal cord caused by static and dynamic factors. In nonoperative patients, cervical myelopathy has a poor prognosis. Surgical treatments, such as anterior or posterior decompression accompanying arthrodesis, arthroplasty, or laminoplasty, should be considered for patients with chronic progressive cervical myelopathy. Surgical decompression can prevent the progression of myelopathy and improve the neurologic status, functional outcomes, and quality of life, irrespective of differences in medical systems and sociocultural determinants of health. The anterior surgical approach to the cervical spine has the advantage of removing or floating the intervertebral disk, osteophytes, and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament that compress the spinal cord directly. The posterior surgical approach to the cervical spine is mainly used for multisegment spinal cord compression in patients with cervical lordosis. In this review article, we addressed the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, differential diagnosis, and treatment options for DCM.

We present 9 cases of plexiform schwannoma examined at Severance hospital from January, 1980 to September, 1987. The predilection sites of plexiform schwannoma included head and neck including oral cavity. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 32 years. The difference of sex ratio was not apparent. Histopathological findings revealed multiple round to oval nodules encapsulated by thin fibroconnective tissue with nuclear palisading and Verocay body in each nodule. There was mild to moderate cellular atypia in some area, but mitotic figure was not found. The Bielschowsky's silver stain did not demonstrate any axon within or outside of the nodule. The thin capsule was positive with reticulin stain.

The CT findings of the acute cerebral infarction are well known. However the CT findings of early stroke within 24 hours of the onset have not been sufficiently reported. The purpose of this study is to evaluate early acute cerebral infarction on CT within 24 hours after ictus. The early and accurate CT diagnosis could lead to the appropriate therapy and improved outcome of the patients. Authors retrospectively analyzed 16 patients with early acute cerebral infarction. Acute cerebral infarction was confirmed by follow-up CT in 11 patients, SPECT in 4 patients, and MRI in 1 patient. The CT findings of early acute cerebral infarction include effacement of cortical sulci or cistern (n=16, 100%), hyperattenuation of MCA (n=3), obscuration of lentiform nucleus (n=6), loss of insular ribbon (n=6) and subtle low density in hemisphere (n=5). The most frequent findings was effacement of cortical sulci in our study, and it was though to be the most important sign of early acute cerebral infarction.
Cerebral Infarction* ; Corpus Striatum ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

To evaluate the efficacy of Alka-Seltzer Effervescent, a commercially available non-particulate antacid(mixture of sodium and potassium bicarbonate and citric acid), a clinical and in vitro titration study was designed. Two tablets of antacid dissolved in 30 ml of water was administered 5-30 minutes before the induction of general anesthesia in a group of patients undergoing Cesarean section. The volume and pH of gastric contents in each patient were under the critical level(vol<25ml, pH> 2.5) and no patient was at risk of aspiration in contrast with the control group which showed 48 % of patients were at risk when no antacid was administered(p<0.00l). In vitro titration study revealed that Alka-Seltzer Effervescent buffered 12-60 times the volume of HCI solution with a pH between 1.0-2.0 to above a pH of 2.5. Preoperative administration of Alka-Seltzer Effervescent at least 5 minutes before the induction of anesthesia can effectively increase the pH of gastic contents without increasing the volume significantly and thereby each patient undergoing Cesarean section will be safe from risk of aspiration.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Potassium ; Pregnancy ; Sodium ; Tablets ; Water

We aimed to study the clinicopathologic features of inflammatory fibroid polyp by histological and immunohistochemical methods. The materials used in this study consisted of 9 cases of inflammatory fibroid polyp: 4 in the stomach, 4 in the small intestine and 1 in the cecum. The results were as follows: Females were affected more frequently than males and the average age was 45 years(range:27-61). In cases of gastric lesion, the size tended to be smaller, the mass was mainly located along the greater curvature side of antrum, and confined to the submucosa. However inflammatory fibroid polyp of the small intestine was over 2.5 cm in size, located along the antemesenteric border, and involved the proper muscle layer. In addition, intussusception was accompanied by polyp in 2 cases of small intestinal lesions. Histologically inflammatory fibroid polyps of the stomach were characterized by prominent lymphocytic infiltration and occasional onion-skinning of stromal cells, whereas plasmocytic infiltration was prominent in those of the small intestine. Main component cells comprising this lesion were confirmed to be fibroblasts by immunohistochemistry which revealed strong reactivity to vimentin in the cytoplasm of slindle cells.
Female ; Male ; Humans

No abstract available.